It's already time: how to sow tomatoes for seedlings properly

It's a busy time for gardeners as they have to sow seedlings. Tomatoes are rather capricious crops, so there may be problems with growing them. The first step is to determine the right time for sowing.

Of course, when growing tomatoes, you should pay attention to the optimal watering regime, a good planting location, favorable neighborhood, and regular fertilization. However, a simple rule of thumb for experienced gardeners is that the better the seedlings, the better the harvest. To know when and how to sow tomatoes, read the article on OBOZ.UA.

How to choose the sowing date

Tomato varieties are divided into separate types by ripening time:

• Early varieties take 80-105 days from germination to ripeness.
• Mid-season varieties take 110 to 120 days.
• Late-ripening varieties take 125-140 days.

Thus, the longer the ripening period, the earlier you should start planting seedlings. Experts say that early varieties can be sown in late March or early April, provided there are no frosts. Mid-season varieties are planted from early to mid-March, and late varieties are sown from the end of February, with the seedlings kept in a warm place.

How to sow tomatoes

It is important to choose a high-quality container. Experts advise paying attention to peat pots made from environmentally friendly sphagnum peat, layered cellulose, and lime, which makes them biodegradable in the soil.

You can choose a universal soil, and the container must have holes so that moisture retention does not lead to plant decay and mold.

The container should be filled with soil a little more than halfway, and tomato seeds should be placed in each cup, slightly immersed in the soil and covered by about 0.5-1 cm. The last step is watering.

Then the seedlings can be covered with plastic wrap. Store the containers in a warm place with access to diffused sunlight. After 5-7 days, the first sprouts should appear. When the sprouts are a little stronger, you can remove the film and place the plants on the windowsill.

Watering should not be too frequent: once every 3-5 days is enough. It will be possible to transplant them into the ground in about 2 months when the ground warms up to 10 °C.

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